Woman Seriously Injured in Top Thrill Dragster Accident Sues Cedar Point

The now-closed Top Thrill Dragster was the fastest and tallest roller coaster in the world when it opened in 2003 Credit: Andrew Borgen / flickrcc

The woman who suffered serious and “tramautic” injuries after being struck in the head by a part while waiting in line for the now-closed Top Thrill Dragster ride in August 2021 has, along with her family, sued Cedar Fair, Cedar Point’s corporate owner.

They allege the park was negligent in maintaining and inspecting the ride.

Hawes suffered, “serious, permanent, disabling personal injuries, including skull fractures and traumatic brain injury,” the lawsuit says.

According to her lawyers, Hawes’s medical expenses exceed $2 million and future care and treatment will exceed $10 million. Additionally, Hawes, who was enrolled to attend graduate school, has lost more than $1.2 million in earning capacity.

“She will need assistance with daily activities for the remainder of her life…She is permanently disabled, and will no longer be able to work as a result of the injuries sustained from Defendant’s negligence,” the lawsuit says.

The suit alleges that Cedar Fair’s failure to inspect and maintain the coaster are responsible and that the companies involved in work on the ride dismantled the evidence despite receiving a written request to maintain the track and cars.

Top Thrill Dragster, which opened in 2003, was shut down and in September of 2022 Cedar Point announced the ride’s retirement.

A report from the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Amusement Ride Safety Division determined that Cedar Point’s operation of Top Thrill Dragster hadn’t violated state law or department rules but did detail requirements the park would need to follow before reopening the ride.

The coaster hadn’t had issues previously and was inspected the night before the accident, according to the report.

Cedar Point has since begun taking the ride down and announced in January of this year that a new ride will open in 2024.

Neither Cedar Fair nor Cedar Point have responded to Scene, but Cedar Fair director of communications Gary Rhodes declined comment to cleveland.com, saying, “as a matter of company policy, we do not comment on pending litigation.”

Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.